Super Hero Week continues with this latest offering which combines traditional text with graphic novel components. In this book kids will learn that being a super hero does not mean you can impress people of the opposite sex. As always you must rely on your charming personality and sense of humor, which is kinda of a bummer when you have super strength, super speed and you can fly!

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If you find that reading at super speed is not your strength, check out my One Minute Book talk below where in the blink of an eye you will be as knowledgeable about the book as I am. See, you do have super powers after all.

Title: Miles Taylor and the Golden Cape

Author: Robert Venditti

Target: Grades 4-7

Series: This is the first book in a planned series

What this book is about: Miles is a twelve year old boy who has started a new school and is having trouble making friends. When he accidentally inherits a cape that gives him superpowers, things start to get interesting. The cape turns him into the lengedary superhero Gilded, who has been protecting his town for over 50 years. Turns out the cape can only be used for noble purposes, so impressing girls is out of the question. A new friend Henry helps him understand how the cape works, just in time to help him protect his town from its greatest threat yet.

Why I love this book:

This book uses an interesting story telling device of inserting comics into the action sequences of the book, so kids not only get to read about Gilded’s exploits, they also get to see him fighting the bad guys. They don’t represent a large part of the story which is primarily text, but for more reluctant readers it is nice break in the prose.

I loved the noble elements of the cape. Since Miles can’t use it for any personal gain, it makes you realize how difficult it is to live such a selfless life. It also brings home how the life of a superhero may not be all it’s cracked up to be.

The book is full of action and adventure and the characters are quite likable. Enough humor and battles to keep kids turning pages.

Who this book is for:

Fans of Percy Jackson should like this one. The author of this book actually wrote the graphic novel version of The Lightning Thief.

Final thoughts:

I thought that Gilded was drawn a little creepy. Something about no hair and saucer eyes was a little off-putting for me.